Running Away
by NerdyWriterGirl
Summary: AU: Danny has been running from them his whole life. He only wants a normal life to be a teenager. When his fleeing brings him to Amity Park, can his new friends help him escape the people he fears the most? Inspired by PhantomInvader's Raven. No ghosts. Winged Danny. Rated T for later scenes. ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! **

**I recently read a story by one PhantomInvader called Raven. That story inspired me to write this story! I am really excited about this one! I hope I can keep it going instead of having it fizzle and die like my other story. If you have any suggestions or comments, this author loves reviews! Even the bad ones!**

**Also, I do not currently own Danny Phantom. Once I become a world renowned screen writer/author/director/producer/millionaire, I promise that I will buy the rights to Danny Phantom, make sure PP never happened, and continue the series for AT LEAST 6 seasons. Or until an angry mob burns my house down. Either way, fun.**

**Later Gator**

**NerdyWriterGirl**

**0000000000**

I shifted uncomfortably under the secretary's harsh gaze. The small office was a putrid green color, one that reminded me of puke. Brown carpet stretched along the floor, full of snags and stains. A couple of kids slouched in chairs, waiting for something that they were starting to think would never come. The whole place felt closed-in and stuffy. The exact opposite of my preference. The atmosphere made you want to run out of there screaming, but, as if in some cruel twist of fate, it seemed like you had to spend the longest time in the waiting room. The unhappy and probably underpaid woman looked at me is almost disgust. _Oh great, another one_, I could imagine her thinking.

"Hi, I'm here to see the counselor about classes?" My voice squeaked and the statement ended up coming out as a question. The slightly overweight graying woman looked at me through yellowing glasses.

"Name." She barked out in a nasally voice.

"Nicholas Jones." I answered shyly. She typed on her computer then looked up at me, eyes narrowing. My heart caught in my throat and I could feel my pulse quickening. For a second I was afraid that my forged documents wouldn't do the trick this time. She finally broke eye contact, looking down and shuffling through a pile of papers.

"You don't need to see the counselor, sweetie." She sneered, pulling a piece of paper from the disorganized and unruly pile with my name on it. "Your schedule is right here." I sighed in relief, before thanking her and turning to walk out the door. I took one last glance back to see her clicking away at the computer screen. My guess was that she was playing solitaire.

Walking into the hall, I could feel the chaos of the first day. The freshman were navigating the halls like schools of minnows amongst sharks. Clumps of them darted around, avoiding all upperclassmen, attempting to find their classes. The sophomores, which I was now a part of, talked and helped the freshman, while attempting to find there own new classes as well. The juniors, however, were having nothing to do with that. Apart from a few who mixed with the sophomores, most of the juniors just breezed by, already experienced enough to know where they were going and how to get there. The seniors where no where to be found, probably at there classes already.

The bell rang, signalling five minutes until class was due to start. I sighed and looked down at the slightly crumpled piece of paper in my hands. First class English, with Mr. Lancer. I looked around, realizing I had no idea where I was relative to his class. I could be miles away for all I knew. Searching for a teacher who could tell me, I came up short._ Plan B_, I thought, looking for the student who looked the most like they knew what they were doing. A tall, pretty, Hispanic girl walked by with her head up and shoulders broad with confidence. I shrugged, guessing that she might know where I was going.

"Excuse me." I said. She turned to look at me, and I could feel her analyzing and judging me already. I have medium length black hair, spiky and unruly, with clear, bright blue eyes. Today I was wearing a pair of plain blue jeans, with my usual baggy t-shirt and an over sized zip-up hoodie. Her demeanor oozed _ewww._

"Uh, yeah?" Code for;_ why is this loser talking to me?_ The way she said it made it clear she wanted to be somewhere else.

"Do you think you could point me in the direction of Mr. Lancer's room?" I asked, as politely as I could. I definitely didn't want to be making enemies on my first day, especially not popular ones.

"Sure, down that hallway to the very end." I was about to thank her when a blonde jock wearing a Letterman's jacket walked up to us.

"Hey, are you hitting on my girlfriend?" He asked threateningly.

"What? No!" I stumbled through my words. So much for not making enemies. He shoved me up the nearest wall getting close to my face.

"Dash, leave him alone." The girl mumbled, without much conviction.

"What's your name, dork?" Dash breathed into my face. His breath smelt like the locker room, gross.

"N-n-n-nick." I managed to stutter.

"Well, N-n-n-nick, congratulations, you just became my new favorite punching bag. Anything bad that happens to me, is now your fault." He slammed me into the wall again for dramatic effect. "And never, EVER, let me catch you looking at Paulina again."

"Dash, we're going to be late." the girl whined. Dash threw me to the ground and stalked off, glancing at me as he put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder.

_Well_, I thought,_ this is going to be oodles of fun._


	2. Chapter 2

**Still don't own Danny Phantom, But if I did, well then... MwahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHA *cough cough* anyway, continue.**

_Previously on Running Away_

_"Well, N-n-n-nick, congratulations, you just became my new favorite punching bag. Anything bad that happens to me, is now your fault." He slammed me into the wall again for dramatic effect. "And never, EVER, let me catch you looking at Paulina again."_

_"Dash, we're going to be late." the girl whined. Dash threw me to the ground and stalked off, glancing at me as he put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder._

_Well, I thought, this is going to be oodles of fun._

**00000000**

I was halfway down the hallway to my first class when the bell rang. _A beautiful start to the new year,_ I moaned. My last school had been really nice, I's even started to make friends and had started to feel_ normal_, except that normal never lasts. I shook off the bad feelings. _No friends, no one gets hurt_, was my new philosophy at this school. School is just a way of blending in so _they_ don't find me. I repeated my mantra in my head as I walked into English. Mr. Lancer stood at the front of the classroom with a piece of paper in his hands. He glanced up at me when I came in, then back down to what I assume was a seating chart.

"And you are...?" The overweight, middle-aged teacher asked me.

_Danny!_ My head screamed. "Nick Jones." I replied calmly.

"Ah, Mr. Jones, you can take a seat in that back row." He pointed to the only empty seat in the room, where I silently sat down. Mr. Lancer immediately launched into what we were going to be learning this year, and I started doodling on the syllabus. I drew clouds and the sky, a familiar sight reminding me of how cramped and closed in I felt here.

Years could have passed, and I would have never noticed, except for the fact that the person next to me cleared her throat. My head shot up, and I looked at her. She was a goth, with deep purple eyes that went perfectly with her outfit. A short shirt and a plaid skirt with combat boots. Her hair was the same color as mine, a dark, shiny raven.

It was then that I noticed that everyone around us was talking to the person next to them.

"We're supposed to be asking the person next to us five things about them." She said impatiently.

"Oh, uh, sorry." I responded lamely. "Uh... what's your name?" I asked her.

"Sam, Sam Manson." She responded, and stuck out her arm in a hand-shake.

"I'm Nick Jones." I told her grasping her hand.

"So, are you new here? I haven't seen you around before and Casper High isn't the biggest school..." She asked, her purple eyes staring at me intensely.

"Yeah, I just moved here." I wanted to keep the personal details to a minimum, I didn't enjoy that kind of thing. My past was a dark, dangerous, and unpleasant thing, not something I wanted to go into on the first day of school. If I was lucky I might make it through 1st semester, although the fact that they had been hot on my trail since our last encounter made things look as though I had just broken a lot of mirrors.

"Where did you move here from?" God, she was nosy.

"Isn't it my turn?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. She blushed. "Have you lived here your whole life?"

Sam sighed. "Yeah, although I would get out of this town now if I could. It's so boring here, nothing ever happens. Welcome to Boringtown, population, me." She looked down and fiddled with the end of her skirt, biting her lip. "Where did you move here from?" She turned the attention back to me.

"Pennsylvania."

"Why did you move?" She pressed on.

"My dad's work." The lie came to me easily. It had been the same one I had been using for years. It was always the same back story. Mom's dead. Dad works. Only child. No other family, of course.

"What does your dad do? Do you have any siblings?" Sam seemed to be the kind of person who decided whether she liked you or not within the first 20 seconds of meeting you. Once you had been declared an okay person, the new goal was to find out everything about you.

"Dad works in stocks. He lost some money so we had to down size. Aaannnnddd... your five questions are up. My turn." I smiled at her and she smiled back. I had passed the test to be officially cool. I learned that she felt oppressed by her parents, who wanted her to be a girly girl, but when she had decided goth was her thing, never gave up on their dream. I learned that she was an only child, and had a grandmother who she obviously cared deeply for living with her. I was actually starting to enjoy myself when I realized that I wasn't supposed to have friends. Even though I knew that I should keep her out of this, just to keep her safe, but I felt so _normal_ around her, and these days, normal is hard to find.

I soon found the class ending. Sam and I were laughing together and we stood up out of our seats. I know it was selfish, to put her in danger just so I could feel normal, but at the moment, I didn't care.

"What class do you have next?" She asked me, purple eyes dancing.

"Uh, biology, I think." I grabbed out the paper.

"Oh! You have Ms. Seller! Tucker has her next period too! Come on! You will love him. But I have to warn you," Her eyes narrowed in all seriousness "He is a total techno geek."

Sam dragged me out of the building into the bright sun. I blinked, trying to let my eyes readjust to the harsh sunlight. We made our way over to a flat concrete area Sam called "The Square".

"We have ten minutes before our next class, and Tucker promised to meet me here." she said, scanning the kids. I felt weird in my baggy shirt, as I always did. I wished that I could just pull it off, it was making my back itch. I turned to Sam, who was now standing by an African American boy with green cargo pants, a yellow long sleeve shirt, and a red beret.

"Nick, this is Tucker. Tucker, this is Nick. Nick just moved here from Pennsylvania." I nodded. Tucker and I shook hands.

"So are you going to be hanging out with us from now on?" Tucker asked. I shrugged and looked at Sam who nodded. This was probably the fastest I had ever made friends, this school out of the 14 others I had attended in my education career. Sam and Tucker were babbling on about some sort of movie night on Friday, and I smiled.

"Hellooo? Earth to Nick?" Sam pulled my head from the clouds.

"What?" I said shaking off my day dreams.

"I asked you if you were taking the bus home from school." Tucker repeated.

"Oh, uh, no. My apartment is only like a block or two away from here, so I was just going to walk."

"Cool! Sam and I walk too! What street is your apartment on?" It turns out that my house is on Sam and Tucker's way. We could all walk together. We planned where and when to meet, and compared our classes between now and then. Before I knew it, the bell was ringing.

"See you after school!" Sam yelled to us as she walked to her next class.

I couldn't help but have a big grin on my face.


	3. Chapter 3

**ME NO OWN DANNY PHANTOM. CAPESH?**

_Previously, on __Running Away__..._

_"Cool! Sam and I walk too! What street is your apartment on?" It turns out that my house is on Sam and Tucker's way. We could all walk together. We planned where and when to meet, and compared our classes between now and then. Before I knew it, the bell was ringing._

_"See you after school!" Sam yelled to us as she walked to her next class._

_I couldn't help but have a big grin on my face._

**00000000**

I stood outside of the school, waiting at the spot Sam had specified. I shifted nervously from foot to foot. The rest of my classes had breezed by, but now that the day was over, I couldn't help but feel nervous. I was twitchy, and was anxious to get home. I was close to leaving when Sam and Tucker finally came walking up to me.

"Hey!" Sam yelled, running up to me. She had a big adorable grin on her face. Tucker looked just as happy to see me.

"Oh, hey." I said. I absent-mindedly scratched at my back, feeling a little embarrassed.

"You ready to go?" Tucker asked me and I nodded. We started out, walking along the cracked and dirty sidewalk. It was awkwardly silent for a few minutes, before I decided to start up a conversation.

"So… is there any good places to hang out around here? For fun?" I looked at Tucker and Sam, they shrugged

"There's a movie theater, a shopping mall, and in the summer a small water park on the outskirts of town. Most of the time we hang out at a place called The Nasty Burger. Is has decent food though, unlike its name." Sam explained. "Actually we were thinking about going to see 'Dead teacher V after school on Friday, if you want to go with us."

"Dead Teacher V? Is that like, a movie or something?" I asked. I had only been to the movies a couple times with my old friends, but had never heard of it. Sam and Tucker's jaws dropped in shock. They stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to stare at me.

"What?" I asked.

"What do you mean 'Is that a movie or something?' Have you never heard of The Dead Teacher movies?" Tucker asked me, apparently still in shock.

"Uh, no. I Haven't seen that many movies. Actually, three." I admitted rubbing the back of my neck.

"They are only the best horror movies in the history of forever!" Sam practically yelled at me.

"Okay?" I didn't get it.

"That's it. The three of us. My house. Tomorrow night. Dead teacher marathon." She pointed her finger at me menacingly. "You. Will. Be. There."

"Okay, okay." I laughed at her. A real laugh. I haven't laughed since, well, I can't even remember. I looked around at my surroundings, realizing I was at my house.

"Hey, guys." I said to Sam and Tucker, who were walking ahead of me. "This is my stop."

I looked up at the huge decrepit looking building. It was a redish-brown brick, old and worn. The Building appeared to be slanting to the side, and the cement around the building was crumbly and dirty with god-knows-what. Up one side was ivy, and it appeared to consume the building like a huge green monster. There were a few worn-out looking park benches that were rotting and green with moss. The sad looking front door appeared to have given up on life. Sam and Tucker took it all in with obvious shocked expressions. The place was a dump. I turned back to them with the biggest cheesiest smile I could muster.

"You live here?" Sam asked. "Are you sure it's safe?" Obvious concern in her voice. I shrugged.

"Hey, I got to go, see you guys tomorrow?" I was practically hopping from foot to foot, so itching and twitchy.

"Yeah man, we'll meet you out here at about seven, okay?" Tucker seemed honestly happy, the building behind me forgotten. Once I agreed and watched them walking away, I practically ran into the building.

I knew I had to stop and pick up my mail, even though I just wanted to get to my apartment.

I took the key ring with the two keys out of my pocket. I walked up to the box that read "Nicholas Jones" And opened it. As usual, there was a single letter. I pulled it out and ran my hand over it. The script was one that I was familiar with. I got the same letter, every week, wherever I was, since I had started running when I was eight. It was addressed to whatever name I had chosen. The paper was always the same glossy heavy-weight, and it was smooth. I remember the first one I had gotten, addressed simply to "Danny". I closed my eyes.

_It was the first sleep I'd gotten in days, my little eight-year old body probably couldn't have taken any more without that blissful silence. I crouched, curled into a ball on a small mattress in an alley. A soggy piece of cardboard was pulled over my head, and rags covered my back disguising my secret. I had slowly blinked open my eyes, and shivered in the cold. Tears ran down my cheeks as I clutched my empty belly. I was so hungry. I looked up, towards the street when I saw it. It was like a streak of shiny silver in a dull, bleak, grey, world. I hesitantly reached out to it, wary of the foreign object in my closely guarded space. As I pulled the envelope up to my face, I could see the water droplets rolling off it. With shaking fingers, I opened ripped the top open. It took me a couple tries, but I finally got to the present inside. I first pulled out a silver card. "_Danny,_" It read, "_1. Food, 2. Clothes, 3. Shelter._" Then it listed an address. Inside were ten twenties. I stared at the envelope a couple seconds longer before scrambling to my feet, destroying my crude shelter. I looked around the alleyway, only to see it was deserted. Staring at the money now clutched in my small hand, and the letter simply signed "_C.W._" I looked at the sky, letting the rain fall down my face and smiled._

I let out a sigh and opened the envelope. My usual 200 dollars were in there, along with the card. "_Danny, Careful. C.W._" was all it said this time. I had lost track of how many times my invisible assistance had saved my ass, but it had been a lot. I shoved it in my pocket and ran to the elevator. Hitting my floor number far too many times, I impatiently jumped up and down. The elevator seemed to be moving through honey as it slowly went past each floor.

Hurryuphurryuphurryup

_Ding_.

Pleasehurryupppp

_Ding_.

Ughhh

_Ding_.

Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore the elevator gave one last sick sounding ding and the doors shuddered open. I ran down the hall, stopping at my apartment, number 521. I fiddled with the key, attempting to get the door open. They key finally slid in, the I threw the door open with a cry of triumph. I was barely in the small bare room when I threw my backpack on the couch, freeing my back of the annoying weight.

I slammed the door and slid the dead bolt closed. Checking to make sure the windows were closed, I pulled off my baggy shirt to revile my muscular chest, encased with bandages. I pulled the bandages off, practically tearing them in an attempt to just _get them off_. As soon as they were free of my skin, I reached up, stretching out my back muscles and unfurrowing my raven black wings, the same color as my hair. I couldn't help the small moan as they reached out to their full span.

_I hate school._

**000000000**

**Bum bum bummm! A little background on Danny! Flashback! -Queue Dramatic Music-**

_**Hey!**_

_**-Screams and jumps in the air- Thank you all so much for all the awesome feedback and follows and especially you favs! I almost started crying, this is the most I've ever had on a story. You guys are so cool! So… the next chapter is here! Yay! I'm going to try to keep them going every 1-2 weeks, but school has started (Already! Last Wednesday! It's crazy!) so if I don't get around to it, that's why. **_

_**Hey, I wanted a little bit of reader feedback! Time for **__**you**__** to help decide where the story goes! I had a few ideas for how Danny was going to reveal his secret to Sam and Tucker. **_

_**1. **__**Sam and him are hanging out, when she notices a black feather poking out of the back of his shirt. Being a good friend, she pulls it out, but gets a yelp from Danny! ;)**_

_**2. **__**They**__** somehow corner the trio, and Danny saves them by flying the three of them out of there.**_

_**3. **__**Danny says "I have something to tell you", and then reviles his secret.**_

_**4. **__**Another possibility may have something to do with Danny jumping out of a window at school…**_

_**Leave a review to let me know what you think! **_

_**Anyway, stay awesome readers, especially these ones:**_

**Bluesky21543**

**jeanette9a**

**RinRox **

**Thanks all! **

_**Later Gator,**_

_**NerdyWriterGirl**_


	4. Chapter 4

_Previously on __Running Away__…_

_I slammed the door and slid the dead bolt closed. Checking to make sure the windows were closed, I pulled off my baggy shirt to revile my muscular chest, encased with bandages. I pulled the bandages off, practically tearing them in an attempt to just get them off. As soon as they were free of my skin, I reached up, stretching out my back muscles and unfurrowing my raven black wings, the same color as my hair. I couldn't help the small moan as they reached out to their full span._

_I hate school._

**000000000**

I moaned, rolling out of my bed and dreading the day. Sunlight filtered through the dirty windows of my crumby apartment, and the cheep alarm clock I had bought squawked annoyingly. I pulled my wings around my shirtless body, shivering at the cold. I was able to stumble into the bathroom and turn on the water. I hated having to get up this early, but washing my wings took forever.

After about only 4 minutes of hot water and 30 of cold I shut the water off. Looking down, I noticed a few of the black feathers in the drain. I grabbed one, and examined it. The oily black surface reflected hundreds of different colors. I sighed, then pulled all the ones I could find out. Only about 3, but that would do. I couldn't leave any trace of myself.

Walking out of the bathroom, I grabbed a small book out of my back pack. It was only about 12" by 6", but it served the purpose I had bought it for. It had a worn black cover, that had at one point been fuzzy with velvet, but all comfort had worn off of it. The binding was worn, and it looked like it had been through a lot, which, of course, it had. I flipped through the first few pages, seeing as they were completely full of my feathers. I couldn't leave the feathers anywhere that _they_ might find them. It seemed like a victory for them. I slid them into their place, and shut the book.

I packed my backpack full of everything I would need in case I couldn't come back to the apartment. When I first started running I would just leave everything at my temporary home, and had lost quite a lot of money and personal items because of it. After brushing my teeth and hair, I went to attempt to find some breakfast. I always saved wrapping my wings for last, as it was my least favorite part of my daily routine.

I hated feeling so restricted, it was as though you had your arms tied up to your chest, unable to move them for an entire day. It was almost as bad as my claustrophobia. I figured that was because of the fact I had been locked up in a cell for the first eight years of my life. I could deal with classrooms and crowded halls, but being stuck anywhere smaller than five feet by five feet always had me gasping for air. I took a bite of cereal and grimaced, thinking about the place that had been my "home".

_I laid on the floor of a small cell, my little wings tucked up behind me. The only thing I was wearing was a pair of shorts, and my body shivered on the cold concrete floor. I heard a noise and scrambled up against the back wall, pulling my knees to my chest. A small flap opened on the floor, and a plate with two slices of stale bread and a glass of water slid through. I lunged at it, a cry of joy escaping my lips. I hadn't had food in days, let alone water. _

_"Breakfast, freak." The guards rough voice echoed through my cell. As I practically inhaled the bread, I looked up at a slot in the door that had opened. Two green eyes looked down at me, and I could see the disgust in them. _

_"You're a freak, you know." That awful voice grated. "Freak. You shouldn't even exist. You're a dirty inhuman _thing_." His green eyes bore into me. "You're in for a very special treat today, freak." I let out a small whimper. I knew that they hadn't given me that bread for nothing. "Oh yes, the boss is here today." His voice had shrunk to a whisper, but it made it that much more menacing. "And you know what that means."_

_His laughter bounced around in my dirty, cramped, cell as the slot slammed closed. I cried, my small sobs echoing as his laughter increased._

I shook my head, not wanting unneeded memories to hold me down. Seeing that it was 6:30 already, I set about getting ready to leave the house. I pulled out my roll of bandages, and stretched out my wings for one last time before I finally drew them in close to my body. I wrapped them, pulling them as close my body as I could, I didn't want to look like a hunch back at school. When I was finally done, I pulled on a baggy t-shirt, in an attempt to hide the still visible bulge on my back. I grabbed my money, shoving it into my shoe, and then sweatshirt and backpack.

I walked out of the small apartment, stopping to lock the dirty and worn brown door. Through the hall, into the elevator, going down, it all seemed like a blur. My back was already starting to ache. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. I walked out of the main entrance to find Tucker and Sam already sitting there on one of the dangerous-looking benches.

I laughed as I walked up to them. "That doesn't look very safe." Tucker instantly jumped up.

"Nick!" he yelled, smiling at me. I returned the smile, suddenly feeling happy, unlike my depressed demeanor earlier.

"Hey." Sam said. I turned to Sam. "I realized when I got home last night that I never got your cell phone number." She smiled at me.

I almost flinched. "Uh… I don't have a cell phone." I replied. Tucker froze. He literally just stopped. "Uh, Tucker?" I asked.

Sam walked over to the front of him. "Tucker buddy?" She asked in a gentle voice. "It's okay, some people don't have them, it happens." She rubbed his shoulders.

"N-n-n-no c-c-cell ph-o-one?" He managed to choke out. "H-h-h-how could anybody live like that? No technology?" He was almost shaking, and I managed to suppress a laugh.

"I don't have enough money." I explained. Tucker still seemed to be in shock.

"Come on, we have to get to school." Sam lead him forward.

**0000000**

**Whew! Next chapter out already? What is this witch craft?**

**Sorry it was a short one, but I just wanted a little bit of Danny's daily routine. Plus, flashback! I can guarantee that that guard will be back in a later chapter! Plus we may find out what that "Special treat" is in another flashback!**

**Writing flashbacks are fun.**

**Plus just saying the word 'flashback' is fun.**

**Ffflllaaasssshhhhbbbaaacccck kkk**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed with ideas! **

**Jeanette9a: ****I like that one too! I thought that it would lead to a very interesting confrontation… but now the question is should Tucker be there too?**

**ChopSuzi: ****I know. It's a word that I tend to use a lot, and I hadn't ever realized I had written it in there until I went back and re-read the chapter yesterday. Another fun word to say! I do love the Maximum Ride books, although I haven't read them in a long time. Sorry if this story is a little reminiscent of them J As for Clockwork… well… we'll just have to wait and see about that one…**

**MiniHayden: ****Oh my gosh, I have read a couple of your stories and LOVED them, you do not know how happy you made me when I got this review (Hint: I may have freaked out a little when I got the email) Thanks for the compliment! ^_^ I like option 1 as well, I think it may be my favorite. **

**Thanks to my 2 guest reviewers as well! ^_^**

**Now, the next big question is… Who should be there for the revile? Sam? Sam and Tucker? More people? Review with a suggestion and I will bestow 20,000 magical sparkle glitter points upon you! **

**Later Gator,**

**NerdyWriterGirl**


	5. Chapter 5

**So... I don't own Danny Phantom... but we all already knew that.**

**0000000000**

School seemed to fly by, and the next thing I knew I was standing outside of Sam's mansion. My mouth dropped open in shock as I stared up at the colossal building. It was at least a 4 story house, and the white paint seemed to glow from how clean it was. Windows with the same white colored trim popped up here and there, and the roof was a forest brown. It was quite possibly the biggest house I had ever seen.

"You_ live_ here?" I said in disbelief to Sam.

"Yep." She said coolly, walking up the steps towards the big brown door. Tucker had obviously been there before, he ignored how lavish it was and just walked inside. The interior of the house was just as lavish as the exterior, the walls covered in paintings and the hardwood floors expensive looking.

"Come on," Sam said to me, grabbing my arm. "The theater room is down here." She pulled me down a flight of stairs, Tucker following close behind. She looked back at me and smiled, and I blushed looking into those lavender eyes. The "theater room" was huge, complete with a soda fountain, popcorn machine, cotton candy maker, cupboards stocked with every kind of candy imaginable, and a plush, overstuffed, leather couch.

"Wow." Was all I was able to get out. We set our backpacks in the corner and Tucker hopped onto the couch.

"Start the popcorn, would ya?" He called to Sam. Sam grumbled something about sexist men, then walked over to the machine. I just took everything in.

"Sam, I think your the richest person I've ever met." I told her. She smiled at me.

"No kidding?" Tucker scoffed. I sat down on the couch next to him, sinking into the plush cushion. "Nice, huh?" I looked over at Tucker and nodded.

After the popcorn had been made, the sodas received, and the movie started, I began to relax. Sam and Tucker were like some of the friends I had at my last school, except for the fact that I felt so much closer to them already. The huge screen made the movie real, plus the sound system didn't help, so while Tucker laughed at the gore, I couldn't help but to flinch. I guess after having a traumatic childhood, it made it hard to enjoy horror slasher movies. Sam noticed my discomfort and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. I relaxed a bit.

After the first movie (of the four that we were to watch) Sam suggested we take a break. I think this was mostly for my sake, after my reaction.

"We're out of popcorn." Tucker whined at Sam.

"Then make some yourself, lazy." She stuck her tongue out at him. Tucker stood at the popcorn machine, and I sat on the couch still, with Sam behind me. I closed my eyes, taking in deep breaths, when I felt something brush the back of my neck. I heard Sam chuckle, and in that second, I realized what was about to happen. I felt the phantom feeling as Sam grabbed a hold of a single feather sticking up out of the collar of my shirt, and pulled.

"OUCH!"

I let out a yell as she yanked it from my skin, bringing slight tears to my eyes, and reflexively slapped my hand over the spot. I flashed around glaring at Sam, who was looking at the feather in confusion.

"What...?" She started her question, but I didn't let her finish. I grabbed the feather out of her hands and shoved it into my pocket before turning back around to stare at the blank movie screen. "Nick? Uh..." she began, but was interrupted when Tucker stomped back over and sat down, loudly munching on popcorn.

"Next movie!" He yelled, grabbing the remote. Sam came and sat down next to me, obviously wanting to talk, but I ignored her and tried to focus on the show. I looked at the hand I had had on my back, finding a small spot of blood where my feather had been yanked out. I winced a little and wiped it on my jeans. I don't think Sam noticed, but I had no way to tell if she had or not.

The rest of the night was uneventful, Sam seemed to have dropped the whole feather thing, and I tried to focus on the plot line, if there was one, of the movie. By the end of the fourth movie, Tucker was dead asleep, snoring on the couch. I got up and stretched my legs, laughing along with Sam at our slumbering friend.

"So, do you want to work on homework together?" Sam suggested. "Or does your dad want you home?"

"Ah, I can stay out as long as I like. My dad doesn't mind." Oh course he doesn't, he doesn't even exist.

"Awesome, I wish my parent were like that. But instead it's like, 'Sam, dress up all girly, Sam, come to this party with us, Sam, wear pink.'" She shivered at this thought.

"At least you have someone looking out for you." All I had was the mysterious CW, other than that I was on my own. She looked up at me and our eyes met, before we both blushed at looked away. I itched my back.

"Homework." She said.

"Oh, yeah, right." I mumbled. I ran over to my backpack and pulled the binder out. After about half an hour working on that, we both jumped when Tucker's phone went off.

"My parents are here." A groggy Tucker informed us, hanging up the phone. After a couple of quick goodbyes, he was gone, leaving Sam and I in the basement alone.

"I should probably be getting home." I told her. She nodded.

"See you tomorrow?" She asked with a smile. I went over to get my backpack. "Oh, let me grab that for you." Sam picked up my bag, only to have the strap break and it tumbling down, scattering my stuff. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, let me help." We were both down on our hands and knees, picking up my stuff. _Awesome_, I thought,_ now I have to get a new backpack_. We were almost done when I saw Sams hands freeze over my book. I could just see a feather poking out from under the cover, and my heart stopped as she slowly opened it.

**0000000000**

**I apologize for such a short chapter. I felt really bad about not updating for a long time and wanted to get the next one done, even if that meant staying up until 12 finishing it. -Groans-**

**Yay! I wrote the feather part! I also have to give credit to DANTE THE DEMON PRINCE for the idea of Sam finding Danny's book of feathers. Dante, your awesome!**

**I'm sorry if there is a lot of spelling or grammar issues in this chapter, I have been going non-stop for the past week and am too tired. So please please please tell me if you spot any and I will correct them! **

**Yay! Question time! **

**Would it be okay with you, the readers, if I used Sam's perspective, either for a short snip-it, or possibly a whole chapter? Or would you rather keep it in Danny's perspective? (Ugh, Danny, Nick, you would not believe how many times I have said Danny instead of Nick in this Fic)**

**Anyway, I have to go to bed now because I have school in the morning and should get some sleep. Even though I know I will probably be up for the next hour reading fan fic anyways. **

**Stay cool readers, stay cool. **

**Later Gator,**

**NerdyWriterGirl**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yo no poseo Danny Phantom, bueno?**

_Previously, on Running Away…_

_"See you tomorrow?" She asked with a smile. I went over to get my backpack. "Oh, let me grab that for you." Sam picked up my bag, only to have the strap break and it tumbling down, scattering my stuff. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, let me help." We were both down on our hands and knees, picking up my stuff. Awesome, I thought, now I have to get a new backpack. We were almost done when I saw Sams hands freeze over my book. I could just see a feather poking out from under the cover, and my heart stopped as she slowly opened it._

0000000

I just sat there in horror as Sam discovered my secret. I'd never felt so powerless in my life, unable to do anything as she opened the book, reviling my feathers. I stared at her as she flipped to the next page, and the next, all filled with my black feathers.

"What- what is this?" She asked me, lavender eyes searching my face. I didn't have a good answer for her.

"Uh…" Was all I could get out. What could I say?

"What are all these feathers from? Ravens? I've never seen them this color." She pulled one out, making me flinch, and held it up. "It's beautiful." She looked at it, brow furrowing in thought, before she recognized it. "Wait a second…"

I was suddenly unfrozen. I swept all of my things into my arms, including my broken backpack, then my book from her. "Well, it's late, my dad is probably wondering where I am, I should go." I tried to make a run for the door.

"Nick!" she called back to me. "Hey, no! This is the same type of feather I… pulled of your back, isn't it?" I slowly turned around to face her, taking deep even breaths. Why didn't I just run, and get out of there? Was it possible that I _wanted_ her to know?

"Uh… yeah." I tried to grab it out of her hand, but she pulled back at the last second. "If I could just have that…"

She shook her head stubbornly. "No way. Not until you tell me exactly what is going on here. You said 'ouch' earlier, like that feather had hurt. What was that all about?" Note to self; Make friends with less smart people.

My eyes searched her face, trying to come up with a good excuse. "It's a secret." I said finally. She crossed her arms and glared at me.

"Nick. A secret? That's the best you could come up with?"

"Yes, that's the best I could come up with. Now can I have my feather back?" I grabbed for it again, but she help it above her head and out of my reach. Sad.

"Tell me." She said stubbornly. I shook my head.

"I can't." I replied.

"Tell me."

"I can't!"

Tell me!"

"I CAN'T!" I roared at her.

We both sat there, staring at each other. Eventually, I turned my gave from her. I was never able to look at people for too long.

"Nick, listen. You can tell me. You can _trust_ me. Please."

I paused, and just stood there, wondering what to do. The only person I had ever trusted stood in front of me, her pleading eyes staring into my soul.

"It's my feather." I finally said, looking down. She sighed.

"I know that, but where did it come from?" She said exasperated.

"Sam," I dropped my stuff, grabbed her hands, and looked into her eyes, trying to make her understand. "It's _my_ feather."

She must have heard the pleading in my voice because she opened then closed her mouth. I realized the only way she could really understand was by seeing. I started pulling off my shirt.

"Uh, Nick? What are you doing?" Sam asked me.

"Showing you." I informed her in a monotone. She started to say something but stopped when she saw the layers of bandages underneath covering my wings. I'm sure she saw feathers growing out of my skin in a few places, because she gasped. I carefully took one end and started unwrapping the restrictors, these were the only ones I had with me, and slowly unfurled my wings.

Sam's legs must have given out because next thing I knew she was sitting on the floor, looking up at me. Her eyes were wide in disbelief as she stared at my raven wings.

"It's my feather." I repeated, knowing she would understand this time.

"What-…" she stopped herself when her voice cracked. "W-what are you?"

I stared into her lavender eyes, so deep and pure. "I don't know." I answered.

**000000000000**

Eventually Sam was able to stand up and walk over to the couch, and we just stood there, staring at each other.

"Tell me everything. Nick, you can trust me." She finally said, and I flinched.

"My name isn't Nick." I told her, rubbing the back of my neck.

She blinked a few times. "Oh. Uh, then what is it?" She asked.

"Danny." I told her.

"Okay, Danny. What happened? How... why do you have wings?" She kind of chocked out the last word, still a little in shock.

"I've always been like this. For as long as I could remember, I've had them. When I was little, I lived in this... place. I was able to escape when I was eight." I thought back to that awful day.

_The guard with the green eyes led me down a long corridor and I could hear the screams and howls of others behind closed doors, not all of them as human sounding as me. Green eyes had a firm grip on my wings, causing me to cry out in pain every once in a while when he pulled on them. We came to a large metal door, and Green eyes nodded to another guard as he let us in. He tossed me into the middle of the room, and I moaned as I skidded to a stop. All around was scientific equipment. A couple of men and women in lab coats stood around us. One of them talked into a microphone.  
_

_"Today we will be testing the effect of electricity of subjects 12296 and 12297." She said. "Subjects are bird-human hybrids." I looked over to see another figure hunched over next to me. She looked exactly like me, except maybe a few years younger. I crawled over to where she was. This wasn't the first time we had met. We were both clones of the same person, except I was a boy and she was a girl. My best guess is they wanted one of each gender to test, and this wasn't our first one. _

_"Hello?" I said to her. She looked up at me and grimaced, her eye black and swollen. She was able to give me a little smile, in sorrow. _

_"Hi." she responded, her voice rough and scratchy. _

_"Are you okay?" I asked, touching her eye. She winced. _

_"I'm okay. Just my guard." We both looked up at the lab coats discussing their experiment._

_"I have an idea." She said to me._

_"What is it?"_

_"Why don't we give each other names?" I thought about the idea. We'd never gotten names, only numbers._

_"Okay, what do you want your name to be?" I looked around the lab, finally spotting the brand name of a piece of the lab equipment. __ A particularly painful piece, I might add. __I looked at the letters, sounding them out in my head. __The only reason we are able to read and write, I suppose is because they taught us to. It's much more scientifically accurate to ask a subject how they feel instead of guessing. And the writing and reading part came from when we weren't able to speak.. "What about Danni?" I asked. _

_She smiled. "Sure. Can your name be Danni too?" She asked shyly. The only way for her to share an intiment relationship with someone, I guess. _

_"Sure." I told her and smiled back. It was then that I saw a lab coat approaching us with what looked to be a cattle prod..._

"I escaped with another girl, but we were separated about two years later." I told Sam. "I haven't seen her since." I just wish I could know if _They_ had actually gotten Danni in Tampa or not.

She sat solemnly, taking it all in when we heard a crack behind us. Sam and I jumped around to see Tucker, standing there, mouth agape. The crack was from his PDA which was now sitting on the floor, the hand previously clutching it at his side. He stared at me before slowly turning to Sam.

"I-... I forgot my s-second PDA."

**0000000000**

**Whew! That took long enough!**

**I'm SO SO SO SO SO sorry for not updating sooner you guys! I've been so busy lately! For some stupid reason, I thought I would have the same amount of homework this year as I did last. Hahahaha, no. **

**Anyway, let me know what you think! Reviews are always nice, but optional to those who hate to be pestered about "OMG! R&R Pls i wood tote luv u 4evr!" Those things always make me want to throw up.**

**Anyway, both the voices(now voice, I'm not sure where all her buddies went, maybe the party is over...) in my head and I would like to again apologize for taking so long to update. If you don't expect another one for a few months, imagine how happy you will be if I update sooner!**

**Anyway, thanks for reading my cool bros!**

**Later Gator, **

**Nerdy Writer Girl**

**P.S. I recently read only THE AWESOMEST fan fic ever! It's Dawning Of A Son by Pearl84, and you should definitely read both that and her Checkmate. I promise you will never look at Vlad or Skulker in the same way again. **


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